The lie in my marriage (EDITING)

Chapter 58 (Hope)

Hello guys. One more chapter and  ZainMalik's story is over. A huge thank you to everyone of  you for being there. My shoutout goes to  (blossom_loving) for being the first commenter on the previous chapter. Thank you ❤💕
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Zain spent most of her days with Malik at the hospital,she has been sleep deprived for most of the days between juggling her commitment at work and taking turns at the hospital.

Today's a day to Malik's surgery and Zain had decided to take the day off from work, she's trying hard to keep it together but deep inside she is a mess,anxious at how tomorrow's going to be after the surgery.

"You seem distant,are you okay?" , he asked with his gaze fixed on her.

"Yeah I'm good. You want something to drink?".
She tried forming a smile but her eyes gave her out. He knows her well enough to tell that she was nervous.

"No i am okay. I don't want to throw up my guts out."

She answered with a nod of her head. He was still not convinced with her as he sensed her uneasiness.

"Zain you can tell me anything you know?  Are you worried about tomorrow?."

She felt him slip his hand into her palm squeezing it.

"It's going to be just fine" , he assured her with a pained smile. He wasn't about to give up entirely but the hope he had in him was not that much. But the last thing he wanted is to add up to her own baggage. So he tries as much as possible to keep up a positive spirit, he is being all rock from the outside but deep inside,he is a crumbling mess.

She felt the tears she had been holding prickling her eyes and from her peripheral vision she could see his eyes still fimly fixed on her.

"Look at me Zain,please " ,he pleaded gently pulling her chin so her face was angled at his direction.

"I'm scared Malik. I just got you back i don't want to lose you again" , she admitted in a crooked voice thick with emotions.

He swallowed the big lump that formed in his throat. Seeing her in such state has made him all emotional too and he can't help the tears glistening in his eyes too,threatening to fall.

"I'm scared shitless too Zain,but i have only one hope and it's you. I want to be better and well for you because you deserve every good thing in this world. I give gratitude to God every day for letting me have you in my life not even for once but twice. You are a wonderful woman with a heart of gold and i want you to promise me one thing Zain."

"What is it? " , she choked out.

He held both of her hands placing a tender kiss on each of her palms.

"I want you to promise me that whatever happens when i get out from that surgery,dead or alive that you will never stop striving for the best,don't ever underestimate yourself and stay happy always no matter what odds life throws at you. And if i dare not make it alive Zain,promise me you will not dwell on it,move on and live your best life. And when love comes to you again,i want you to open your heart and arms to it,embrace it and welcome it because you deserve it. I...".

She quickly placed her palm flat on his lips to stop him from talking,tears in her eyes as her chest tightened with her heart beating erratically against her chest. A silent voice in her head telling her 'what if Malik is dying, how do you think your life will become .'

"Don't say that Malik please!  I've heard enough. I don't want no love if it's not yours,i don't want to live with anyone other than you. I have suffered enough and after this surgery, you will get well and we'll live our best life together and have so many children,grow old to see them married and see their children. I am not giving up on you,i am not giving up on us because i have hope and strong faith that you'll make it out of there."

"That's my girl. So you plan on having  kids anytime soon?".
He teased lighting the mood.

"Duh yeah... As crazy as it may sound I've already started picking cute baby names."

"Ah and here i am thinking i was the crazy one".

"You're not alone" , she murmured

"I know i got you,we'll be okay. "

"Yeah we'll be okay."
She assured more to herself as she snuggled closer to him.

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Later that day in the evening,the doctor invited Malik's close family to his office to enlighten them further on Malik's post surgery recovery and the prospects to expect from him before full recovery.
Zain sat with her attention focused on the man in front of them. She had taken her time to make research on everything about the after surgery effect all thanks to google. But she thought hearing it explained in details from a professional sounds much better,so there she was all focused. The middle aged man cleared his throat and adjusted the rim of his glasses on the bridge of his nose and began to speak.

"I gathered you all here because you're my patient's close family and the people he will get to see everyday throughout the period of his recovery. I believe i have gave you a little insight about his condition so i am just going to brief you on the condition you might find him in after the surgery.
You see,recovery period varies  patients as some may recover within six months while  others may take longer than that to attain full recovery. Usually,for the first few days a patient may be unconscious and not be able to respond to visual stimuli, sound and emotions.  As time goes on and consciousness is regained,the patient goes through a sleep wake cycle where he briefly responds to visuals and sounds, not completely. After being able to regain full consciousness, confusion, disorientation, restlessness,agitation,nervousness and frustration may appear. Now this is where you as his family need to be extra patient with him and give him your maximum support because it's quite disturbing as inconsistent behaviour from patient is common. He may behave uncharasteristically and have an attention disorder but it gets better in weeks. There's no reason panic because therapy sessions make everything much easier and it makes recovery process faster."

The doctor finished with a curt nod.

Zain felt the knots in her stomach tighten as she slowly made her way out of the doctor's office leaving Malik's parents behind. She needed time for herself to process everything she just heard because despite reading all about it,it was still like a punch to the gut.

A gentle tap on her shoulder brought her back from her reverie. Seeing that it's Malik's mother she mustered a small smile. The woman took a sit next to her and with so much going on,Zain had no choice but to admire her courage and strength is such a tight situation.

"You need to go home and get some rest Zain,i will stay with him tonight."
She stated in an attempt to persuade Zain but Zain was no close to leaving Malik tonight so she politely declined his mom's idea and insisted that she stays the night.

Later that evening after helping Malik get to sleep,Zain spent the better of the night on the praying mat. The prayers actually raised her hope and decreased the level of anxiety  in her. Malik stirs in his bed and she immediately reached out to him.

"Go back to sleep, it's going to be a long day tomorrow."
She whispers to him placing his head on her laps.

"Why are you still awake?" , he looked up at her with his eyes half closed.

"Don't worry about me,now sleep".

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She has never been so anxious and restless in her life like the next morning. If she thought her previous days were bad, well this day was twice as bad. No scratch that,it's the worst day of her life. Her family came to the hospital to be with her and she immediately jumped to the arms of her  mother shedding more and more tears than she has ever shaded. No words needed to be spoken,her mother only held her quietly in her arms as she sobbed. She watched as the nurses pushed through the stretcher with his body on it and more tears escaped her remembering all the promises he had asked her to fulfil and the final words he told her which will forever be carved in her heart.

"I love you Zain,never stop and never will stop ".

The words kept on playing in his voice inside her head like a broken record.

"I love you Malik."
She kept on chanting to herself as if it was a  prayer as more tears escaped her eyes.
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